Fluidically operated actuator means or the like

ABSTRACT

This disclosure relates to a pneumatically operated actuator having two cup-shaped housing members snap fitted together at the open ends thereof and sealingly holding an outer periphery of a flexible diaphragm between flange means of the housing members, each flange means having an outwardly directed rib offset relative to the rib of the other flange means and respectively compressing into the outer periphery of the flexible diaphragm. The diaphragm cooperates with one of the wall means to define a chamber therebetween, the one housing member having a passage means interconnecting the exterior of the housing means to the chamber with the passage means including a projection extending into the chamber from the wall means. A plate is carried by the diaphragm and is movable therewith, the plate having an inwardly directed projection means for abutting against the projection means of the one housing member and having means cooperating therewith the maintain fluid communication between the passage means and the chamber.

v United States Patent [72] Inventor Robert L. Golden Greensburg, Pa. [21] Appl. No. 871,157 [22] Filed Sept. 23, 1969 [45] Patented Dec. 7, 1971 [73] Assignee Robertshaw Controls Company Richmond, Va. Original application Dec. 5, 1966, Ser. No. 599,064, now Patent No. 3,483,800. Divided and this application Sept. 23, 1969, Ser. No. 871,157

[54] FLUIDICALLY OPERATED ACTUATOR MEANS OR THE LIKE 12 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 91/394, 91/406, 92/99 [51] int. Cl ..Fl5b 15/24, FOlb l9/02.F16j 3/00 [50] Field of Search 92/98, 99, 100,101,13, 48; 91/369, 369 A, 369 B, 47, 394, 396, 406

[56] Relerences Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,843,145 7/1958 Koehler et a1. 92/100 X 2,224,394 12/1940 .Iurs 92/98 X 3,021,792 2/1962 92/100 X I 3,1 80, 2 3 5 4/1965 Schmitz 9 2/101 X Primary Examiner-Martin P, Schwadron Assistant Examiner-Irwin C. Cohen AtlorneyCandor, Candor & Tassone Houser ABSTRACT: This disclosure relates to a pneumatically operated actuator having two cup-shaped housing members snap fitted together at the open ends thereof and sealingly holding an outer periphery of a flexible diaphragm between flange means of the housing members, each flange means having an outwardly directed rib offset relative to the rib of the other flange means and respectively compressing into the outer periphery of the flexible diaphragm. The diaphragm cooperates with one of the wall means to define a chamber therebetween, the one housing member having a passage means interconnecting the exterior of the housing means to the chamber with the passage means including a projection extending into the chamber from the wall means. A plate is cari ried by the diaphragm and is movable therewith, the plate havj ing an inwardly directed projection means for abutting against the projection means of the one housing member and having means cooperating therewith the maintain fluid communication between the passage means and the chamber.

P'ATENTED [15s 7 m1 SHEET 1 BF 2 mvEmoR ROBERT L. some" wawwm HIS ATTORNEYS PATENTEUUEC 7:971 3,625,114

SHEET 2 OF 2 Q a N x HIS ATTORNEYS FLUIDICALLY OPERATED ACTUATOR MEANS OR THE LIKE This application is a divisional patent application of its copending US. Pat. application, Ser. No. 599,064, filed Dec. 5, I966, now US. Pat. No. 3,483,800, and is assigned to the same assignee to whom the parent application is assigned.

This invention relates to an improved fluidically operated actuator or the like.

It is well known that fluidically operated actuator means can be provided wherein a flexible diaphragm or the like cooperates with a housing means to defme' a chamber therebetween whereby when such chamber means is at normal atmospheric conditions, the flexible diaphragm will hold an actuating member or the like in a predetermined position thereof. However, when a pressure differential is created across the flexible diaphragm of such actuator means by directinga fluidic signal to the chamber of the actuator, the

I diaphragm is moved to another position thereof to position the actuator means in another operating position thereof.

Accordingly, it is a feature of this invention to provide an improved fluidically operated actuator means of the above type wherein the flexible diaphragm is simply and effectively sealed to the housing means to prevent fluid leakage at such interconnection means.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved fluidically operated actuator means having one or more of the novel features set forth above or hereinafier shown or described.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from a reading of this description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the improved actuator means of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, crow-sectional view of the diaphragm sealing means of the actuator of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 and illustrates the actuator of this invention in another operating position thereof.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter described and illustrated as being particularly adaptable for providing a vacuum-operated actuator means or the like, it is to be understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combination thereof to providev other types of actuator means as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the improved actuator means of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral and comprises a pair of cup-shaped rigid casing or housing members 11 and 12 respectively having outwardly directed annular figure means 13 and 14 at the open ends thereof to provide snap-fit connection means for snap-fitting the casing members 11 and 12 together in their assembled condition, as illustrated in FIG. 1 and in a manner hereinafter described.

A flexible diaphragm 15 has its outer peripheral means 16 held between the snap-fitted flange means 13 and 14 of the casing members 11 and 12 to cooperate with the casing member 11 in defining a chamber 17 therebetween. The inner periphery 18 of the flexible diaphragm 15 is snap-fitted into an annular recess 19 formed in an actuating post means 20 having a diaphragm backup plate means 21 disposed in the chamber 17 and abutting the under side 22 of the flexible diaphragm l5 and having an integral post 23 extending through a central opening 24 of the diaphragm 15 and out through a central opening means 25 formed in the end wall 26 of the casing member 12.

The actuating post 23 can be interconnected to any suitable device to be operated by the actuator mans 10 in a manner hereinafter described. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the actuating post 23 is pivotally interconnected to a lever 27 by a pivot pin 28, the lever 27 having one end 29 thereof pivotally mounted by a pivot pin 30 to a supporting structure 31 wherebymovement of the actuating post 23 from the position illustrated in FIG. 1 to the position illustrated in FIG. 3 will cause the lever 27 to be moved about its pivot point 30 in a counterclockwise direction to. actuate any suitable structure, such as an electrical switch or the like. The lever means 27 is normally held in the position illustrated in FIG. 1 by a suitable tension spring 32 whereby the flexible diaphragm 15 is normally in the position illustrated in FIG. 1 when the chamber 17 of the actuator 10 is in a normal atmospheric condition.

The cup-shaped casing member I 1 has the bottom or closed wall 33 thereof substantially dish-shaped and is provided with opposed tubular members 34 and 35 extending in opposite directions from the central portion of the wall 33, the tubular members 34 and 35 respectively having passage means 36 and 37 formed therethrough and interconnected together by a small passage means 38 formed in an integral disclike part 39 separating the bores 36 and 37 from each other.

In this manner, a flexible conduit 40 or the like can have one end 41 thereof telescoped onto the outwardly projecting tubular portion 34 of the casing member 11 and be held thereon in a press-fit relation, as desired. For example, the tubular member 34 can have an outwardly directed annular bead 42 intermediate its opposed ends to outwardly deform the end 41 of the flexible conduit 40 in the manner illustrated by the reference numeral 43 to hold the flexible conduit 40 onto the tubular extension 34..

The flexible conduit 40 is adapted to be interconnected to a vacuum source 44 when a selector switch for valve means 45 is in a proper position thereof whereby when the vacuum source 44 is interconnected to the chamber 17 of the actuator 10 by the selector means 45, the subsequent evacuation of the chamber 17 causes the flexible diaphragm 15 to move from the position illustrated in FIG. 1 to the position illustrated in FIG. 3 to pull the lever 27 to the operating position illustrated in FIG. 3 for any suitable purpose.

When the selector valve means 45 disconnects the vacuum source 44 from the chamber 17 of the actuator 10, air is adapted to return to the chamber 17 either through the selector means 45 and the interconnecting conduit means 40 or by a controlled bleed means generally indicated by the reference numeral 46 in FIG. 1.

In particular, the control bleed means 46 includes a tubular extension 47 formed on the end wall 33 of the casing member 11 and having a stepped bore means 48 passing therethrough to fluidly interconnect the exterior of the casing member 11 with the chamber 17. However, an orifice cup member 49 is disposed in the ore means 48 and has a fixed orifice 50 passing through the bottom wall 51 thereof to control'the amount of air that can return to the chamber 17 through the orifice means 36, the air returning to the chamber 17 being filtered by a suitable filter means 52 disposed in the bore means 46 outboard of the orifice cup 49.

The size of the orifice 50 in the orifice cup 49 is so constructed that when the vacuum source 44 is interconnected to the chamber 17 in the manner previously described the amount of air tending to return to the chamber 17 through the orifice 50 is not sufficient to effect the movement of the diaphragm 15 from its normal position illustrated in FIG. I to its actuated position illustrated in FIG. 3. However, when the vacuum source 44 is disconnected from the chamber 17 by the selector means 45, the air returning to the chamber 17 through the orifice 50 is at a fixed controlled rate whereby the flexible diaphragm 15 in FIG. 3 will move at a predetermined rate from the position illustrated in FIG. 3 back to the position illustrated in FIG. I, as the chamber 17 returns to a normal atmospheric condition by means of the controlled bleed means 46 and by the tension spring 32 pulling the diaphragm 15 back to the position illustrated in FIG. I.

The backup plate means 21 of the actuating post means 20 includes a substantially flat platelike portion 53 engaging the under side 22 of the flexible diaphragm 15 in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 and having a substantially centrally disposed inwardly directed tubular extension 54 and a plurality of stiffening rib means 55 radiating from the tubular extension 54.

Similarly, the cup-shaped bottom wall 33 of the casing member 11 has a plurality of stiffening rib means 56 radiating from the inwardly directed tubular extension 35 thereof, with the inner edges 57 of the rib means 56 being coplanar with the flat end 58 of the tubular extension 35. However, the ribs 55 of the backup plate means 21 have their inner edges 59 angularly disposed toward the backup plate 53 at the outer ends thereof and feathering to the flat end surface 60 of the tubular extension 54 at the inner ends thereof.

In this manner, when the vacuum source 44 is interconnected to the chamber 17 of the actuator 10, the diaphragm is moved from right to left to the position illustrated in FIG. 3 wherein the end surface 60 of the tubular extension 54 of the backup plate means 21 abuts against the inner edges 54 of the stiffening rib means 56 of the casing member 11 to terminate leftward movement of the diaphragm 15 while the bore 61 in the tubular extension 54 of the backup plate means 21 is concentrically disposed about the tubular extension 34 of the easing member 11 so that the vacuum source 44 will be continuously interconnected to the chamber 17 to positively hold the diaphragm 15 in the operating position illustrated in FIG. 3 as long as the selector valve 45 is interconnecting the vacuum source 44 to the flexible conduit 40. In this manner, the diaphragm 15 is positively held in the actuating position illustrated in FIG. 3, even though the controlled bleed means 46 is tending to pennit air to return to the evacuated chamber 17 because the vacuum source 44 fully overcomes the slow bleed of air into the evacuated member 17 to positively hold the diaphragm 15 in the actuated position of FIG. 3.

As previously stated, another feature of this invention is to provide improved means for sealing the outer peripheral means 16 of the diaphragm 15 between the snap-fit flange means 13 and 14 of the casing members 11 and 12 whereby reference is now made to FIG. 2 fully illustrating such unique structure.

The outwardly directed peripheral flange means 13 of the casing member 1 l defines a substantially flat surface means 62 on a tongue portion 63, as well as an outwardly directed annular bead or rib means 64 projecting substantially perpendicularly relative to the flat surface 62.

The outwardly directed peripheral flange means 14 of the casing member 12 defines a substantially L-shaped structure having a first arm 65 disposed at a right angle relative to the other arm 66 thereof with the arm 65 defining a flat surface 67 disposed parallel to the flat surface 62 of the flange means 13 of the casing member 11. However, an outwardly directed rib means 68 extends substantially perpendicular to the flat surface 67 of the am 65 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The arm 66 of the flange means 14 of the casing member 12 has an annular recess 69 formed therein to snap-fittingly receive the tongue 63 of the casing member 11 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2, whereby the casing members 11 and 12 can be snapfitted together through the natural resiliency of the material forming the casing members 11 and 12, such material being a suitable plastic material or the like.

The outer peripheral means 16 of the flexible diaphragm 15 includes an enlarged bead or annular projection 70 extending from the side 22 thereof at the extreme outer end of the diaphragm 15.

The projection 70 of the flexible diaphragm 15 is so constructed and arranged that when the exposed side 71 of the diaphragm 15 is placed against the flat surface 67 of the arm 65 of the casing member 12, the casing member 1 1 being snap-fitted to the casing member 12 through the cooperation of the tongue means 63 and recess means 69 causes the rib means 64 thereof to compress a part 72 of the flexible diaphragm 15 into sealing engagement with the flat surface 67 of the arm 65 while the bead 70 of the diaphragm 15 is aligned with the rib means 68 of the arm 65 and is compressed between the flat surface 67 of the arm 65 and the flat surface 62 of the flange means 15 of the casing member 11. The con figuration of the projection 70 complements the configuration of the projection 64 of the casing member 11 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2. In this manner, the projection means 68 on the arm 65 of the casing member 12 fully embeds into the bead means 70 of the flexible diaphragm 15 in offset relation relafive to the bead or rib means 64 of the cup-shaped member 11 to that a positive fluid seal is provided between the flange means 13 and 14 of the casing members 11 and 12 and the outer peripheral means 16 of the diaphragm 15.

In addition, it can be seen that when the diaphragm I5 is being drawn from the position illustrated in FIG. 1 to the position illustrated in FIG. 3 by a vacuum being created in the chamber I7, such action causes the flexible diaphragm 15 to more firmly stretch around the annular projection 64 of the flange means 13 of the casing member 11 to tightly draw the bead 70 of the diaphragm 15 into sealing engagement with the projection 64 of the casing member 11 to prevent air and the like from passing between the bead 70 of the diaphragm I5 and the projection 64 of the casing member 11 into the evacuated chamber 17.

Further, it can be seen that through a simple snap-fit relation between the flange means 13 and 14 of the casing members 11 and 12, the outer peripheral means 16 of the diaphragm 15 is fully secured therebetween in a unique arrangement to provide the aforementioned fluid sealing without requiring auxiliary fastening means or the like.

Therefore, it can be seen that this invention provides an improved fluidically operated actuator means or the like having many novel, useful and unobvious features.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed as required by the statutes, other forms may be used, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

l. A fluidically operated actuator comprising a casing means having wall means, a flexible diaphragm carried by said casing means and cooperating with said wall means to define a chamber therebetween, said wall means having passage means passing therethrough to interconnect the exterior of said casing means to said chamber, said passage means including projection means extending into said chamber from said wall means, and a plate means carried by said diaphragm and disposed in said chamber, said plate means being movable with said diaphragm and having inwardly directed projection means for abutting said inwardly directed projection means of said wall means when said chamber is evacuated to limit movement of said diaphragm in one direction relative to said casing means, said abutting projection means each having a plurality of radiating rib means abutting the radiating rib means of the other projection means adjacent said passage means and having means cooperating together to maintain fluid communication between said passage means and said chamber, said abutting projection means each having said rib means thereof that abut each other at the outermost portion thereof that extends into said chamber.

2. A fluidically operated actuator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cooperating means of said projectionmeans of said wall means includes a tubular member having said passage means passing therethrough.

3. A fluidically operated actuator as set forth in claim 2 wherein said rib means carried by said wall means radiate from said tubular member.

4. A fluidically operated actuator as set forth in claim 3 wherein said wall means of said casing means defines a cupshaped member with the end wall of said cup-shaped member with the end wall of said cup-shaped member being substantially concave on its chamber defining side.

5. A fluidically operated actuator as set forth in claim 4 wherein said tubular member projects substantially centrally from said concave side of said end wall and has a flat free end interrupted by said passage means.

6. A fluidically operated actuator as set forth in claim 5 wherein said rib means of said wall means each has an inner edge coplanar with said flat free end of said tubular member.

7. A fluidically operated actuator as set forth in claim 6 wherein said inner edge of each rib means of said wall means has its outer radially disposed and tenninating adjacent the outer peripheral edge of said concave side of said end wall.

8. A fluidically operated actuator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cooperating means of said projection means of said plate means includes a tubular member having a free end interrupted by a closed end bore means.

9. A fluidically operated actuator as set forth in claim 8 wherein said rib means extending from said plate means radiate from said tubular member.

10. A fluidically operated actuator as set forth in claim 9 wherein said rib means of said plate means each has an inner edge provided with one and disposed flush with said free end of said tubular member and with the remainder thereof tapering toward said plate means as said edge approaches the other end thereof.

11. A fluidically operated actuator comprising a casing means having a wall means, a flexible diaphragm carried by said casing means and cooperating with said wall means to define a chamber therebetween, said wall means having passage means passing therethrough to interconnect the exterior of said casing means to said chamber, said passage means including projection means extending into said chamber from said wall means, and a plate means carried by said diaphragm and disposed in said chamber, said plate means being movable with said diaphragm and having inwardly directed projection means for abutting said inwardly directed projection means of said wall means when said chamber is evacuated to limit movement of said diaphragm in one direction relative to said casing means, said abutting projection means each having surface means abutting each other adjacent said passage means and having means cooperating together to maintain fluid communication between said passage means and said chamber, said means of said surface means of said projection means of said wall means including a tubular member having said passage means passing therethrough and a plurality of rib means carried by said wall means and radiating from said tubular member, said means of said surface means of said projection means of said plate means including a tubular member having a free end interrupted by a closed end bore means that is disposed concentrically about said tubular member of said wall means when said free end of said tubular member of said plate means abuts said ribs of said wall means outboard of said tubular member of said wall means whereby said closed end bore means remains in communication with said passage means and with said chamber. v

12. A fluidically operated actuator as set forth in claim 11 wherein a plurality of rib means are carried by said plate means and radiate from said tubular member thereof. 

1. A fluidically operated actuator comprising a casing means having wall means, a flexible diaphragm carried by said casing means and cooperating with said wall means to define a chamber therebetween, said wall means having passage means passing therethrough to interconnect the exterior of said casing means to said chamber, said passage means including projection means extending into said chamber from said wall means, and a plate means carried by said diaphragm and disposed in said chamber, said plate means being movable with said diaphragm and having inwardly directed projection means for abutting said inwardly directed projection means of said wall means when said chamber is evacuated to limit movement of said diaphragm in one direction relative to said casing means, said abutting projection means each having a plurality of radiating rib means abutting the radiating rib means of the other projection means adjacent said passage means and having means cooperating together to maintain fluid communication between said passage means and said chamber, said abutting projection means each having said rib means thereof that abut each other at the outermost portion thereof that extends into said chamber.
 2. A fluidically operated actuator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cooperating means of said projection means of said wall means includes a tubular member having said passage means passing therethrough.
 3. A fluidically operated actuator as set forth in claim 2 wherein said rib means carried by said wall means radiate from said tubular member.
 4. A fluidically operated actuator as set forth in claim 3 wherein said wall means of said casing means defines a cup-shaped member with the end wall of said cup-shaped member being substantially concave on its chamber defining side.
 5. A fluidically operated actuator as set forth in claim 4 wherein said tubular member projects substantially centrally from said concave side of said end wall and has a flat free end interrupted by said passage means.
 6. A fluidically operated actuator as set forth in claim 5 wherein said rib means of said wall means each has an inner edge coplanar with said flat free end of said tubular member.
 7. A fluidically operated actuator as set forth in claim 6 wherein said inner edge of each rib means of said wall means has its outer radially disposed end terminating adjacent the outer peripheral edge of said concave side of said end wall.
 8. A fluidically operated actuator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cooperating means of said projection means of said plate means includes a tubular member having a free end interrupted by a closed end bore means.
 9. A fluidically operated actuator as set forth in claim 8 wherein said rib means extending from said plate means radiate from said tubular member.
 10. A fluidically operated actuator as set forth in claim 9 wherein said rib means of said plate means each has an inner edge provided with one end disposed flush with said free end of said tubular member and with the remainder thereof tapering toward said plate means as said edge approaches the other end thereof.
 11. A fluidically operated actuator comprising a casing means having wall means, a flexible diaphragm carried by said casing means and cooperating with said wall means to define a chamber therebetween, said wall means having passage means passing therethrough to interconnect the exterior of said casing means to said chamber, said passage means including projection means extending into said chamber from said wall means, and a plate means carried by said diaphragm and disposed in said chamber, said plate means being movable with said diaphragm and having inwardly directed projection Means for abutting said inwardly directed projection means of said wall means when said chamber is evacuated to limit movement of said diaphragm in one direction relative to said casing means, said abutting projection means each having surface means abutting each other adjacent said passage means and having means cooperating together to maintain fluid communication between said passage means and said chamber, said means of said surface means of said projection means of said wall means including a tubular member having said passage means passing therethrough and a plurality of rib means carried by said wall means and radiating from said tubular member, said means of said surface means of said projection means of said plate means including a tubular member having a free end interrupted by a closed end bore means that is disposed concentrically about said tubular member of said wall means when said free end of said tubular member of said plate means abuts said ribs of said wall means outboard of said tubular member of said wall means whereby said closed end bore means remains in communication with said passage means and with said chamber.
 12. A fluidically operated actuator as set forth in claim 11 wherein a plurality of rib means are carried by said plate means and radiate from said tubular member thereof. 